The “Top Music” list-making has been ridiculous this year, with everyone chiming in on why they think that Return to Cookie Mountain was the album of the year.

In this age where trailers are always better than the movie, who actually even listens to full albums anymore? Or entire songs, for that matter?

This is why Scattershot has decided to bring you the 10 Best Musical Moments of 2006 – 10 parts of different songs, to total no more than five minutes of music. Also, I chose to narrow my focus on the rock genre despite some great moments in hip-hop and electronica this year.

In true Girl Talk style, I’ve lined up all the moments together in one handy mp3, so you can listen while you read. Depending on how much I have to say, you may have to change your reading pace.

Listen: “The Best Song of the Year!”

“Lisa, Make Love! (It’s Okay!)” – Oh No! Oh My!, Oh No! Oh My!
0:00 – 0:25
Are the exclamation points superfluous? Maybe. But don’t hold it against this epic Sufjan Stevens-like intro, which really kicks in around 0:09.

“Young Folks” – Peter, Bjorn and John, Writer’s Block
0:08 – 0:22
I haven’t wanted to whistle this badly since Kill Bill Vol. 1.
Check the video. And this one.

“We’re From Barcelona” – I’m From Barcelona, Let Me Introduce My Friends
1:36 – 1:52
Nothing like a good-old family band sing-along, especially when the verse is this catchy. I’m starting my own family band soon. So far, I have six tambourine players.

“The Funeral” – Band of Horses, Everything All the Time
2:57 – 3:43
All you need is a second of buildup to feel the crushing power of this chorus. Before I saw them live at Congress some months ago, I figured they had to be giants.

“Only Skin” – Joanna Newsom, Ys
4:55 – 5:17
I wanted to include this entire song, but it’s 17 minutes long. Then I wanted to pick the section from 13:30 to 15:10 with Bill Callahan’s deep backing vocals providing a perfect compliment to Newsom’s delicate shriek. In the end, I picked one of the barest and simplest parts of a grand song. I like the way the harp moves here, sort of bubbling over itself, and the “Scrape your knee, it is only skin” line always gets me.

“The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack” – Liars, Drum’s Not Dead
4:35 – 4:46
I’m such a sucker for double-tracking vocals.

“The Zookeeper’s Boy” – Mew, And the Glass-Handed Kites
3:28 – 3:52
Competing with “The Funeral” for chorus of the year, the criss-crossing vocals really elevate the song to another level. I haven’t listened to any other Mew songs because I doubt they’ll be able to top this. That’s not a good enough reason, you say?

“Postcards from Italy” – Beirut, Gulag Orkestrar
2:54 – 3:12
Every section of this song gives me a warm, giddy feeling inside, but the horn solo is my favorite part. There’s a similar part about 40 seconds earlier, but sans drums. And if you know me, then you know there’s one thing I’m not ever cool with, and that’s a lack of drums. It’s also the #1 song that reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel this year.

“Rubber Traits” – Why?, Rubber Traits EP
1:59 – 2:48
Why? released their full-length album Elephant Eyelash in 2005, but “Rubber Traits” got a single release in ’06 so I decided to include it. Rules be damned. This 50 seconds gives you a nice taste of all things Why? with an odd, free-associating rap matched with a catchy as hell melody. For more good Why? check out the song “Yo Yo Bye Bye” for the best lyric of any year, “I’m ****in cold like a DQ Blizzard.”

“First Night” – The Hold Steady, Boys and Girls in America
3:29 – 4:45
I’m not really that confident in this choice. This piano ballad smacks of cheese throughout, and the beginning of this clip is the worst part. But I love it so much! (Full disclosure: I don’t love it as much as “Glycerine” or 3EB’s “Jumper”.)

Let me know where I screwed this up, and how I can replace The Hold Steady.

I’ll be hitting the web with even more lists before the 31st, so check back soon.